Alexander johnson



A. JOHNSON.

VEHICLE AXLE.

(No Model.)

' Patented July 28, 1891.-

INVENTOR.

WITNESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER JOHNSON, OF OAMILLUS, NE\V YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO E.' D. LARKIN, OF SAME PLACE.

VEHICLE-AXLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 456,766, dated July 28, 1891..

Application filed December 15, 1890- Serial No. 374.690. N model.)

To coZZ whom it may concern: provements, and Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sec- Be it known that I, ALEXANDER JOHNSON, tion of the axle-spindle with the box mounted of Camillus, in the county of Onondaga, in thereon. the State of New York, have invented new Similar letters of reference indicate come 5 and useful Improvements in Vehicle-Axles, sponding parts.

of which the following, taken in connection A represents one of the end portions of the with the accompanying drawings, is a full, axle, which is provided with the collar 0, from clear, and exact description. which extends the spindle upon which the This invention relates to the class of ve-- wheel of the vehicle is mounted. This spin- 6o [0 hicle-axles which are provided with 1ongidle I form with the outwardly-tapering portudinally-adjustable inwardly-tapering jourtion D, extending from the collar 0 part way nabbearings on the outer end portions of the the length of the spindle, and with the smooth spindles for the purpose of taking up the cylindrical outer end portion D, which termiwear between the journal-box and its bearnates with the screw-threaded nipple cl, as 6 I5 ings on the axle. Said axles have heretofore shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The cylinhad the inwardly-tapering journalbearing drical portion D is smaller in diameter than formed with a screw-threaded bore by which the adjacent end of the tapering portion D, it was screwed onto a correspondingly-screwand thus the shoulder a is formed at the j uncthreaded end portion of the spindle, and the tion of said spindle portions. On the cylin- 7o 20. journal-box was formed of two separate end drical portion D, I place a closely-fitting portions tapered externally and internally. sleeve 0, which is also cylindrical and smooth Such a construction has been found defective internally to allow it to slide rectilineally and in several respects, viz: In case the journalalso turn on said spindle portion without box becomes bound on the adjustable indanger of becoming therebybound in the box 2 5 wardly-tapering end portion of the spindle B, which is one of the defects of other axles by reason of neglect of lubricating the same, of this class which have the outer end poror by becoming heated or gummed, the said tion of the spindle screw-threaded and the end portion ofthe spindle being thus comthimble or sleeve correspondingly screwpelled to turn with the wheel, causes the threaded. In such axles the said thimble or 30 former to be screwed up tighter on the spinsleeve is liable to turn with the box, and in dle and become so tightly wedged in the jourturning on the screw-threaded portion of the nal-box and against the fixed portion of the spindle the said thimble or sleeve is caused spindle as to prevent the wheel from turning to move inward and to become wedged tightly or twistingoff the end portion of the spindle. in the box. The exterior of the sleeve 0 is 3 5 Furthermore, it is exceedingly diflicult to set tapered toward its inner end, and preferably the divided box accurately in the hub of the formed with a collar 0' on its outer end and wheel. The box-sections, being tapered exa shoulder I) at the junction of said collar ternally as well as internally, must of neceswith the tapering portion of the sleeve.

sity be set separately into the hub from op- B denotes the journal-box, which I form in 4o posite ends thereof, and are therefore liable one piece and with the usual longitudinally to be out of line with each other. straight and slightly-tapering exterior, and is The object of this invention is to obviate thus adapted to be set in the hub of the wheel the aforesaid defects and to generally imas easily as any common journal-box. The prove the construction and operation of axles interior of the box is tapered from opposite 5 45 of the aforesaid class; and to that end the ends to the junction of the two spindle porinvention consists in the construction and tions D D and to conform to the tapers of combination of parts hereinafter fully die the spindle portion D and sleeve 0,. and is scribed, and specificallysetforthin the claims. placed upon the same by withdrawing the V In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is a side sleeve 0 from the spindle, then sliding the I00 50 view of an axle-spindle and longitudinal secbox onto the spindle portion D, and then sliption of the journal-box embodying my imping the sleeve 0 onto the spindle portion D;

v the rings 6 and a", and then the box and sleeveor the said sleeve may be placed into the box and slipped onto the spindle portion D simultaneously with the sliding of the box onto the spindle portion D. Said sleeve and box are retained on the spindle by the usual nut 12, applied to the nipple (l. The sleeve cis made somewhat shorter than the spindle portion D, and a ring 6, of leather or other suitable material and of proper thickness, is placed between the inner end of the sleeve and the shoulder a to properly fit the sleeve to the interior of the box, which latter is also formed with a circumferential recess f in the outer end of its interior to closely embrace the collar c of the sleeve, and with a shoulder f, by which it abuts against the shoulder Z) of the sleeve. Another ring 7', of leather or other suitable material, is interposed between the inner edge of the collar 0 and shoulder h in the interior of the box B, for the purpose hereinafter explained. The inner end of the box is formed with an extension B over the collar 0, and the latter is formed with a circumferential groove g, in which is inserted a packing-ring t for the purpose of excluding dust and grit from the interior .of the main portion of the box and also for preventing the lubricant from escaping through the inner end of the box. I also prefer to form in the groove g indentations i z' for the retention of sufficient lubricant for the packing-ring z. The collar 0 I also lubricate by providing the same with indentations Z Z for containing lubricant.

When the bearings of the box B become worn, so as to be too loose on the spindle, the box and sleeve 0 are to be removed from the spindle and thinner rings to be substituted for claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of the axle -spindle formed with the outwardly-tapered inner end portion D and smooth cylindrical outer end portion D, terminated with the screw threaded nipple d, the sleeve 0, formed cylindrical and smooth internally and tapered externally toward its inner end, the box 13, straight externally and tapered internally from opposite ends to the junction of the spindle portions D D, and the nut n on the nipple 01, substantially as described and shown.

2. The combination of the axle-spindle formed with the outwardly-tapered innerend portion D, smooth cylindrical outer end portion D smaller in diameter than the adjacent end of the portion D and terminated with the screw-threaded nipple d, the shoulder a at the junction of the said spindle portions, the ring 6, seated on said shoulder, the sleeve 0, formed cylindrical and smooth internally and tapered externally toward its inner end, the box B, tapered internally from opposite ends to the junction of the spindle portions D D and formed straight externally, and the nut n on the nipple d, all constructed and combined substantially as described and shown.

3. The combination of the axlespindle formed with the collar O, the outwardly-tapered inner end portion D, cylindrical outer end portion D, shoulder a, and nipple d, the sleeve 0, formed cylindrical and smooth internally and with the collar 0' and shoulder b and inward taper externally, the rings c and 7, respectively on the shoulders a and collar C,

the box B, formed in one piece straight ex- ALEXANDER JOHNSON. [L. s]

Witnesses:

J. J. LAASS,

MARK W. DEWEY. 

